In the modest locality of Worcester Park, nested behind the vast expanse of Cuddington REC. , lies the pride and joy of Bowls fans in town - a hidden gem of passion, a ruby under the radar of activities in Sutton : Cuddington Bowls Club (CBC). Many people, especially in younger generations, have written-off bowls as a sport for the elderly and as too formal to be enjoyed well enough. As many of you reading this ponder about the next big tennis or football fixture, ask yourself: how have I ignored a sport many people adore so endearingly? Although winning four Asia Pacific Championship medals, Bowls legend Tim Mason is a name almost unheard of. Unlike many other bowls clubs, CBC aims to flesh out the fun in light-hearted competitiveness and that is why I believe it is so special.
So - what is bowls?
Put simply, bowls is a game of judgement. In each ‘end’ (round), a team divides their bowls equally. Teams of 1 and 2 use 4 bowls, teams of 3 use 3 and teams of 4 use 2. The aim of the game is to get your bowls as close as possible to a white Jack. An average game lasts 21 ends. But, a quick Google search can tell anyone these facts; the screen staring at you,blank, expressionless - can it truly be worthy of showcasing such passion , such a potent symbol of love?
Stephen Hoare, treasurer of Cuddington Bowls Club for 3 years, thinks the Bowls can never be summarised in words. The dedication and emotion in his voice as I interviewed him was awe-inspiring and also transformed my way of thinking about the club and the sport as a whole. At a glance of its shell, a local business may flash its bottom lining. But a peek inside? It’s an immersion into a sea of devotion and tenderness. For some people, bowls is not just a game - it’s a sign of community.
When asked what CBC does to strengthen community spirit, Stephen seemed at a loss as to where to start. CBC has had “quiz nights and a bar for the past 4 years'' and there seems to be a united sense of family between the members. “For example, we have a member this year who turned 90 and we had quite the party for him; it is these sort of things that are bringing the club even more closely-knit. ”Out of our pockets, we have actually purchased a defibrillator, very expensive, and we notified those living in the area about it, in case of an emergency. “As I just began to grasp the generosity of their work, Stephen went on to tell me about the admirable story of a member who had a heart attack two years ago and the defibrillator saved his life; Despite this near-death experience, “he’s still bowling!”, thus displaying that the sheer value of a defibrillator certainly cannot be overstated.
Even before I had asked my second question of what the most common misconception of bowls, I already knew the words that were going to land in my ears - that it’s a retirees’ game. But, as always, Stephen put his own spin on it, by comparing views on bowls to attitudes around bowling alleys. ”When you think about it, all the top players, all the champions are all in their twenties and thirties. I would say it's as good fun as bowling, if not more. And ten-pin bowling is not considered an older person thing, that’s what confuses me sometimes. And in some ways, you've got to be a bit more accurate in bowls, which is all the more fun, it's not just about hurling it down as hard as possible towards a cluster of pins.”
CBC is a place to relax, enjoy and let that competitive side of you out of its cage. The experience reminded me of the pure kindness born out of community spirit , even in the face of a fast-moving society, where such organisations seem to be dwindling in number.
